Sounds like the vocal school of Karen Dalton. Honestly. Barely known but extremely regarded folkie with an absolutely heart breaking drug habit. She ran with Fred Neil and Cheech Marin. So not long for this world in circumstances I'd rather not mention.
Fascinating thread. Authentic and Imitative are in the ear of the beholder. I find opera singing the most affected of all styles.
I sure got derailed a bit by reading through these quite disparate posts. I went back & listened to the example left by OP, artist Laura Gibson - she doesn't sing in that little-girl, whispery, breathy style, or the others' I'd referenced that members have posted. The closest I've seen posted, in addition to Lana Del Rey, (who I'll reiterate I don't much care for) is Cat Power. I'll add: Aldous Harding (who I do like) & sounds like OP just may not be a fan of female indie folk-rock-pop b/c that's what it is (although, that example left just isn't particularly good & maybe that's why not a fan).
I was much more vehement in my loathing when I was a youngster. Being someone who was in indie bands in the 80's and 90's I had a frustrating time fairly recently looking for new indie music to listen to. Endless swathes of generic twee. Generic twee was a part of the indie scene way back when, but mostly an insignificant part and certainly not something I listened to. If it's what indie is now then it makes me embarrassed to say that I was in an indie band.
Does Chet Baker's naif style fit into the influence as well? Not sure who else does go into that feel.
Seems like there's a lot of names being thrown about on this thread that don't really belong here - name any (non R&B) female singer from the last 20 years and she's likely to be mentioned here. I'm not sure people are even talking about the same thing.
Sounds okay to me. Rather understated, reminds me of Beth Orton. There's an argument that with folk trad material like this it's best to let the song speak for itself, which is kind of what she's doing.
That depends if everyone is talking about the same thing and I'm not sure they are. For instance, I hate twee little girly voices with 'idiosyncratic' diction that are deliberately kooky and I don't think Lana del Rey is any of those things, instead her voice is kind of cool and detached and quite plain - but that might be what people are talking about, I don't know. I mean, Lana del Rey, Amy Winehouse, Beth Orton(!), Elizabeth Fraser, to name but four, have got nothing in common beyond being female.
Probably Sarah Blasko's the logical successor to Angie Hart (especially the As Day Follows Night album). Sarah even wrote the liner notes on the Frente reissue.
Would that Downy commercial here in the states, with the person singing "Housh housh baby" (when the lyric is "Hush hush baby") be included in this type of singing. That commercial is the worst I have ever witnessed and I immediately mute when it comes on the telly....
Agreed. OP's post song is an example of a trend... but it's just not an unremarkable piece of music. "The Barrel," on the other hand, is one of my favorite songs of the decade (and my favorite video). Interesting, because, while I can recognize the similarities in vocal style now that you mention it, and I do have a distaste that particular kind of chewy fake-jazz chanteuse affectation, I never heard that with Aldous because her songs are just so damned good.
the styling the OP is discussing sounds just like the stuff they play during the narration in the 'chick' shows my wife watches. Usually there is a hospital involved.
Heh. My folk historian wife thinks Shirley Collins is the most mannered and affected folk singer she's ever heard. All depends on one's perspective, I guess!
I blame James "You're Beautiful" Blunt. He made it acceptable to sound like a ridiculous parody of a muppet.
